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Author
Topic: anything to worry about? (Read 12488 times)

Hi, I am new to this site but after being on it for a few days I see that there is a lot of straight forward advice to be people with questions about fear of hiv. My concern is that on a couple occasions I partied with other people, some I knew and some I didn't. We would drink beer and smoke mirijuana out of pipes, sharing them (I know, not good). My fear is that a lot of times I get very bad chapped lips and sometimes my bottom lip gets a crack where it bleeds a little bit. If someone else had this same problem at this time and we were sharing these items together, would this be a risk of getting hiv or even hepc if one of them had it? I'm really freaking out because of the possible blood to blood exposure. If this isn't likely could someone please explain. I hope you guys don't think this is a stupid question, but I have a hard time sleeping over this situation. I hope this is just anxiety over fear of hiv and not a real risk.

OK, as far as HIV is concerned there wasn't any risk for transmission in the activities you have mentioned.

Hep C is primarily transmitted through infected blood or shared needles, so again your activities do not fall into the risky areas for either of those.

Read the lesson on transmission of HIV which you can get to through the link in the first thread in this section. It will help to spare you unnecessary worrying.

If you are sexually active it's always good to regularly do the full standard panel of STD tests -- at least annually and more frequently if there has been risky behavior or any symptoms you are concerned about.

Thank you Andy for responding to my question and easing my concern, but is the reason there was no risk is because there would probably have to be a lot more blood shared in these exposures to get in my bloodstream to be infected? I have learned that kissing between two people with small cuts or blleding in their mouths would pose a little risk because saliva kills hiv, but it was the outer part of my mouth that I was worried about. If I get tested in a couple of months, do you think the results would be negative? I'm sorry for probably wasting your time.

As long as you are using condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, every time, no exceptions, then I fully expect your hiv test to return a negative result.

Hiv is a fragile, difficult to transmit virus. It quickly becomes damaged and unable to successfully transmit itself to a new host once it is exposed to the environment outside of the body. This is why your pipe sharing does not pose a risk for hiv. You might catch your smoking-mates head cold this way, but you will absolutely not catch hiv this way.

Use condoms for intercourse and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple! Check out the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use those condoms with confidence. We're not born knowing the correct way to use them, so get reading.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Thank you both Andy and Ann for your answers It's really reassuring that there are people out there like yourselves. As far as getting tested like I said I was, I was curious is ever of you think it is necessary? Unprotected sex is out of the question and never, ever injected drugs. My father passed away from hiv from injecting drugs years ago and that's why hiv testing is very scary to me and is why I try and stay away from risky exposures and is probably why this subject worries me so much. Any short response from either would be greatly appreciated and I won't bother you on this any longer.

Sorry to bother you guys one LAST TIME. Ive read on the internet that there have been cases of people getting hep c without any known risk factors.Could my situation possibly fall into one of these? The possibilities of blood to blood exposures kinda freak me out. Should I be fine for hep c also. Anyone's opinion would be greatly appreciated.

Hep C is primarily transmitted through sharing drug injecting equipment and it is believed it may also be occasionally transmitted through sharing straws to snort drugs. However, it is doubtful that it would be transmitted during your pipe sharing.

The bottom line here, as with hiv, is that if you are in doubt about your hep C status, testing is the only certain answer.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Sorry for another non sexual hiv concern, but as I've seen on alot of Anne's answers hiv needs a host like mucous membranes in vagina or anus. Isn't mucous membrane in the nose the same or different? It's been bothring me because on occasion in past I have shared straws or bills and not thought about blood to mucous contact which could have been possible. Would I be at any risk for hiv? One of the persons I did it with broke out with shingles recently and I read that hiv would be the cause because you need a wekened immune system and she's only about 33. A quick satement I read from the web "Most non-sexual hiv transmission has been studied in the healthcare setting. In the study 2042 percutaneous injuries involving hiv infected blood, six healthcare workers were infected. Of the six, five were injured from sharp objects or needles. One was related to blood exposed in an open wound. All six cases involved a large quantity of hiv infected blood. Could an expert(JK,ANNE,ANDY) explain what is meant by large quantity of blood? These would be my only two questions and concern. Sorry to bother or offend anyone else who has had a real risk if mine is pretty much nonexistent.

Thanks members of the forum. You guys/gals seem to be a great help for people like myself.

Hiv is not spread via straws used to snort drugs. It is much too fragile a virus that needs specific cells to latch onto and these cells are not found in the lining of the nose. You may want to check for hep C if you snort drugs, but not hiv.

Anyone who has had chickenpox can get shingles at any time in their life. Hiv does not come into it in any way, shape or form.

Large quantities of blood means just that. In a medical setting, it would likely involve blood gushing from a wound where an artery was damaged.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Just as I was getting over my unwarranted fears of hiv, I got myself in a situation where I hope someone coiuld tell me I probably have nothing to worry about. Me and a friend of mine went to some bars and a few drinks we got into a situation where I had to hit him. After I hit him he got up and hit lip was busted up and he was spitting some blood. My knuckle had a cut from this and was also bleeding. That was the extent of the incident. I've read on someone elses post who had a same concern and was told that hiv has not once been caught from fist fighting ever. Is this REALLY true, and if so how could it be with all the blood contact that usuall goes along with the fights? Is there any kinda risk in this situation? One more question. Most experts on this sight say do not have unprotected sex and do not share iv needles and you will avoid hiv and it's that simple. Has this always held true except maybe some unusual circumstances? Thanks again

Busting your mate in the chops is not a risk for hiv transmission. The only thing you've risked is your friendship. As you've read elsewhere in this forum, not one person has ever become hiv positive through a street brawl and you will not be the first.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Guy, all the information that you need about both HIV transmission and testing can be reached through the first thread in this section. Do yourself a favor and read them.

And it is true there has never been a confirmed case of transmission through brawling, slugging, fighting and other like incidents. We regularly hear from people who've had a like encounter. You aren't going to make history by becoming the first to become infected in that manner.

As a general rule it would be a good idea to avoid excessive drinking since it never seems to end in anything good, socially or sexually, for anyone.

You have no cause for further concern about this incident in relation to HIV.

This question kinda goes back to my original thread which I was told wasn't a risk, probably because I threw in some whatifs. This is mainly bothering me because this time the other person WAS really bleeding and it was a cut lip and not inside his mouth where saliva could not kill it. As we were walking for quite a while we shared cigarettes and a beer or two and it didn't dawn on me till the next day that there could have been blood shared. Is this considered an environmental transmission question. And if so, even the cdc website says there has never been environmental transmission of hiv. But I heard their data is outdated and they sometimes misinform the public in general. Do either of you Ann or Andy agree that I am still at no risk from this night? Thanks in advance

Sorry to post again but I have a quick questions on the reason i wasn't at any risk from blood contact from my cut knuckle during a fight. Is it because you guys think he is hiv-? I know he has associated with iv drug users in the past but not sure if he's ever done that. Don't mean to bother, but I always think of the worst case scenarios in almost everything. Thanks again

Even if this guy was hiv positive (and we don't assume either way), you weren't at risk. Hiv needs very specific circumstances in order to be able to infect a new host - and from some guy's cut to your knuckles isn't one of them. Hiv transmission occurs INSIDE the body, not outside. If you got some of this guy's blood on your knuckles, it happened outside your body. Hiv is very fragile and it just doesn't remain intact and able to infect outside the body.

If you're so concerned about your hiv status, then all the posting on an internet forum will not give you a definite answer. Go get tested, collect your negative result and get it over with. Otherwise, find yourself a therapist with whom you can talk your worries over with. They're not grounded in hiv science.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

By the way, I'm going to give myself a personal timeout from this site for quite a while but really need to know why the transmission lesson you send people to read says hiv enters through open cuts and what not, but I am still told there is no risk?

just back here to say thanks for your help a while ago when i came to this site. the moderators assured me enough to finally get tested which i did on Dec 10th 2008 and after my whole life of not knowing (34 years) the test came back negative. so after this huge relief a couple things happened that i hope to God didn't put me at a huge risk. The first one was this guy at work was telling me a story when all of a sudden a little spit landed in my eye. the only reason i'm freaking out is because earlier he said he was coughing up blood from ulcer and i think straight blood not mixed with saliva hit my eyeball and not to be mean but on top of that he has horrible oral hygeine. the other incident is the other day instead of high fiving these guys at a social place they like to bang fists instead. i didn't even think about it until the next day when i saw a cut on my knuckle which was most likely caused by another fist and worried that if they were cut i may have got blood in my cut. I'm more worried about blood in the eye episode more but what do any or all of you moderators think my overall risk of getting infected if any of these people had hiv? I'm gonna get tested in 6 weeks just for the initial one and hoping if it is negative one more in 12 weeks. Do you guys think I'm just overeacting again or do I have to worry about my tests coming up?

Anyone who continues to post excessively, questioning a conclusive negative result orno-risk situation, will be subject to a four week Time Out (a temporary ban from the Forums). If you continue to post excessively after one Time Out, you may be given a second Time Out which will last eight weeks. There is no third Time Out - it is a permanent ban. The purpose of a Time Out is to encourage you to seek the face-to-face help we cannot provide on this forum.

One more concern on my part before i take my ban or whatever. The other day i had a bleeding wound on my scalp from eczema and my friend who sleeps around alot and could care less about his health took my hat jokingly and put it on his head. I took it, put it back on and noticed he had scabs or pimples bleeding on his forehead. I'm real worried that the blood that got on my hat from him after i wore it again got into my bleeding cut and put me at risk. If he were to have hiv would this be a risk where i would have to wait to be tested? I'm wanting to get back with my ex girlfriend is the only reason i'm back to make sure i wasn't at risk worthy of having to wait another 3 months to tested again. I really want to get back with her soon but just to ask you guys if i'm not at any risk from this blood contact that's all, please? Ann, Andy, Rod?

I am still hoping to hear from one of the moderators to whether I was put at any risk of contracting hiv from my exposure in my last question about the blood on my hat touching my wound on scalp if the blood had hiv. I really don't want to wait to get tested again but if i have to i will. I will also take my ban as long as a moderator judges my risk for me. Thanks

Ok, you know by now I have an obsessive fear of somehow getting hiv mostly from blood contacts. would just like 1 more risk assesment before i get timed out to get what you call face to face help with my phobia. was upset the other night ended up hitting my car ripping my knuckles open bleeding. Went out drinking around some very shady bars just to forget about thngs. Woke up the next day thinking somehow somebodies blood got into my cuts putting me at rsk. That's how my mind works I guess. If THIS or ANYTHING ELSE i've ever brought to you guys were absolutely not risks for hiv then do you think i will test negative at 6 and 13 weeks. I need to test again over these ayway to hopefully put all this to rest. I know, I definately need a timeout but just need words of encouragement before I get the tests.

Your hiv phobia is far outside the scope of this forum. I'm giving you that time out you've been warned about. Do not attempt to create a new account to get around your time out because if you do, you will be permanently banned.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

I accept the fact that all my other posts were about non risks but this one is TOTALLY DIFFERENT. Was play fighting with this other guy not too long ago and ended up getting a bleeding cut on my arm so afterwards checked him for long fingernails and there were none. So what if cut was from his teeth and he had blood in mouth caused from us fighting. Is there a possibility this could be a risk? Remember, this is a different scenerio than my other posts so just don't ban me please I would just like to know.

This latest concern isn't "totally different" AT ALL. It's just the same as when you came here in September 2006 and asked about fighting. Not one person has ever been infected as a result of fighting and you won't be the first.

Don't even think about going on about your latest paranoid worry. You didn't have a risk and you'll be quickly timed out if you keep bringing it up.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts